8th Annual Hopkinsville International Festival Set for March 17th-18th

The 8th Annual Hopkinsville International Festival will return on March 17th-18th for the community’s free two-day cultural celebration. “I-Fest” will fly flags from an array of countries as the popular event returns to the James E. Bruce Convention. Friday (March 17) festival time is 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and Saturday (March 18) hours are 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. The festival will be held rain or shine. The International Festival is a family-friendly event featuring live entertainment and a host of free kid’s activities.

The Hopkinsville International Festival highlights the vast cultural diversity found in our region and celebrates our global traditions and history with a variety of free activities and performances. IFest has food, shows, crafts and learning experiences for virtually everyone.

Free Activities & Attractions

Global Village is indoors at the Bruce and is scheduled to include booths representing 13 countries. Each booth offers hands-on activities and the opportunity to meet and interact with people from around the world. The World Peace Wall is part of Global Village and offers festival attendees an outlet for personal expressions of hope.

The International Stage, sponsored by South Arts and National Endowment for the Arts, will feature a number of International Musical Groups and Dance Troupes. Visitors will even have chances to participate on our second interactive stage.

The festival also hosts a cultural smorgasbord of food, with over a dozen different International Vendors selling food and merchandise both indoors and outside.

The Hopkinsville Family YMCA is hosting a Kids Zone where children can play international games and engage in other cultural activities with parental supervision. The Kids Zone, also located inside the convention center, will be humming with activity throughout the festival on Friday and until 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library Imagination Library is once again hosting a Multilingual Story Time Tent where families can hear tales brought to life in many different languages.

The Passport Zone is back to allow festival attendees to receive a personalized 4” x 6” photograph passport, while supplies last.

The popular Language Lab provides your chance to pick up a few conversational phrases in various languages.

New This Year

Thanks to a South Arts Traditional Arts Touring Grant, Hopkinsville International Festival is excited to welcome Western Kentucky University musicologist Dr. Erika Brady to this year’s lineup. Dr. Brady will provide cultural insights about the various interactive performances by Global Education Center’s Rhythms of Life as part of a three-day residency in Hopkinsville. Their stay will also feature master class workshops for two local schools.

Hopkinsville International Festival is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Kentucky Arts Council. I-Fest is also made possible by community sponsors and collaboration from a host of partners including the City of Hopkinsville, Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation, Walmart Neighborhood Market, Indian Physicians Alliance for Community Service, WHOP/Lite 98.7, WKDZ/WHVO, and WKMS.

For more information about the event, please visit www.ifesthopkinsville.com, call the Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation Division at (270) 887-4290, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.